Rock Island Car Accident Lawyer

What Can a Rock Island Car Accident Lawyer Do For You?

Getting into a car wreck in the Quad Cities area can leave you injured, financially struggling, and feeling overwhelmed. Reporting the crash, healing up from your injuries, and filing a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company are just the beginning, and your plate is already overfilled. You may be wondering how a car accident lawyer can help.

At Strong Law, our personal injury lawyers do more than communicate with the insurance company to arrange a quick settlement. When you hire our law firm, we will listen to your story, explain your legal options, and give you advice about how best to proceed. We will investigate your car accident claim, working with witnesses, crash reconstructionists, and other experts to establish the cause and fault for your collision. Then we will negotiate with the insurance company to help you recover maximum compensation. If a satisfactory settlement cannot be reached, we will present your personal injury case in court and let the jury decide.

Common Injuries in Car Accidents

In a motor vehicle accident, the occupants may be jolted, jostled, and thrown. The force of a collision can cause drivers and passengers to come into contact with other people or items in their vehicles, airbags, or the interior of the car. As a result, victims in a Rock Island car accident may suffer minor to severe injuries and, in extreme cases, death. In 2021, more than nine people an hour suffered injuries in car accidents across Illinois.

The unexpected, sudden impact of a collision commonly causes severe car accident injuries, including:

• Fractured bones
• Sprains and strains
• Lacerations and road rash
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Amputations

After suffering car accident injuries, you may need urgent medical care, as well as ongoing medical treatment. Getting the medical care you need can be tough if you don’t have another way to pay for your medical expenses while you wait for your personal injury settlement. When you hire Strong Law, your car accident attorney can help you connect with top medical providers in the Rock Island area. We may be able to negotiate with doctors and surgeons at Trinity Rock Island to help you obtain payment arrangements, so you can get the treatment you need to recover.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in Rock Island

Most car accidents could be prevented, if not for negligent or reckless driving. Numerous factors commonly lead to motor vehicle accidents, including:

Drunk Driving

After only a single drink, the effects of alcohol may start to impact a person’s ability to drive safely. Drivers may experience slowed reaction time, affected judgement and decision-making, decreased coordination, and reduced visual acuity. These impairments contribute to an increased car crash risk, which may result in serious injuries or death.

Speeding

Speeding involves driving faster than the posted limit, or at a speed that is not safe given the road, weather, or traffic-related conditions. The Illinois Department of Transportation reports that speed caused 36.9% of all car accidents resulting in injury in 2021, and 44.4% of the fatal traffic wrecks occurring across the state in that year.

Distracted Driving

Today’s drivers face a multitude of distractions while behind the wheel, from talking to passengers or on a cell phone to using in-vehicle navigation systems or eating a snack. Activities or behaviors that remove a driver’s attention from the task of driving, hands from the wheel, or eyes from the road can increase accident risk.

Drowsy Driving

People often overlook drowsiness as a dangerous driving behavior. However, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that drowsy drivers cause 328,000 crashes every year. Beyond the obvious dangers of falling asleep behind the wheel, fatigue and tiredness can impair drivers’ ability to make decisions, react to situations or hazards, and pay attention to the road and safe operation of their vehicles. 

What to Do After a Car Accident in Rock Island

The steps you take following a car accident in Rock Island, IL may impact the outcome of your case. Knowing what to do ahead of time ensures you aren’t impacting your rights or ability to obtain compensation for your injuries.

1. Get Help On the Way. Immediately after a motor vehicle accident, check yourself and your passengers for injuries. If you are able, check to see if anyone outside your vehicle suffered injuries. Even if you don’t think anyone was seriously harmed, call 911 for emergency assistance.
2. Exchange information. Exchange contact information with the other motorist involved. Get his or her name and driver’s license number, and, if possible, his or her telephone number. It is also important that you get the auto insurance company information for the other driver.
3. Gather evidence. Take photos or videos of the accident scene, any property damage to the vehicles involved, and any visible injuries. This may serve as valuable evidence in proving fault in your car accident lawsuit.
4. File a police report. You are required to report accidents in Illinois if someone suffers injury or, in extreme cases, death, or if the property damage appears to exceed $1,500. If law enforcement officers come to the scene, they will take statements and collect evidence. Be careful not to admit liability or make statements that could be taken as you acknowledging fault.
5. Seek medical assistance. Even if your injuries seem minor, or you don’t think you suffered harm, you should get checked out by a doctor after a car accident. Your healthcare provider may identify injuries you didn’t know occurred, such as internal bleeding. Presenting the medical documentation from your treatment may help prove the type, severity, and cause of your injury.
6. Don’t talk to the insurance company. You are not required to speak with the other driver’s insurance company. Their representatives are trained to coerce accident victims into admitting fault or accepting far less than their cases are worth.
7. Get a free consultation with a Rock Island car accident lawyer. As soon as possible, you should contact a car accident lawyer for a free case evaluation. An attorney will explain your legal rights and guide you on the path to recovery.

Damages Available in a Rock Island Car Accident Claim

If you suffer harm in a car accident caused by a careless driver, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your losses. State law requires drivers to carry liability insurance to cover the financial losses resulting from auto accidents. It also allows victims to file lawsuits against negligent drivers if the insurance coverage does not provide fair financial recovery. A Rock Island, IL personal injury attorney will evaluate your accident to determine what damages may be available in your claim or lawsuit. 

Economic Damages

Economic damages include the monetary losses resulting from your car crash injuries. Your current medical expenses, future medical costs, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and property damage are examples of your economic damages. Your wage statements, medical bills, and projected medical treatments will be helpful in determining your financial losses.

Non-Economic Damages

Often, the suffering you experience extends well beyond the financial impact of your injury. You may also seek compensation for the non-economic losses caused by your life-changing injuries. Non-economic damages include losses such as loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, and mental anguish. As subjective losses, these damages are typically valued by multiplying the economic damages or medical expenses by a certain rate based on the severity of your injury. Alternatively, your attorney may use a per diem rate for non-economic damages. If your personal injury case goes to trial, the jury will determine the amount of non-economic damages to award.

Punitive Damages

Unlike economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages do not compensate you for your losses. The judge or jury may award punitive damages to punish the defendant or deter others from similarly egregious violations. To receive a punitive award for a legal action in Cook County, you will need to prove the at-fault driver acted willfully and wantonly in causing the wreck that resulted in your injury.

Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accident Cases

How long do I have to sue after a car accident in Illinois?

Illinois imposes a two-year statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits, including those involving car accident cases. While you generally have up to two years from the date of the auto accident that caused your injuries to initiate legal action, you should not wait. Filing outside the allowed timeframe may result in the court dismissing your car accident lawsuit, costing you the right and ability to recover the compensation that you need.

Do You Have To Accept an Insurance Settlement Offer?

You do not have to accept the insurance company’s initial settlement offer for your auto accident injuries. Insurance companies almost always offer far less compensation than what victims’ injuries and losses are worth. While it’s common for insurance adjusters to imply that recovering compensation is “now or never”, that is not the case. Before accepting a settlement offer from the insurance company, you should speak with a Rock Island car accident lawyer to determine the value of your personal injury case.

Do I need a Lawyer After a Car Accident?

You are not required to hire a car accident attorney to recover compensation after a crash. If you choose to handle your case on your own, however, your chances of recovering full and fair compensation are slim. A car accident lawyer who is familiar with Illinois traffic code, insurance company tactics, and other aspects commonly involved in such cases will know how to present your case to a jury in a way that makes sense, and maximizes your chances of recovering for your medical bills and other losses.

You might be interested in these personal injury resources:

• Questions to Ask When Hiring a Truck Accident Lawyer
• Who to Sue in a Car Accident Involving a Taxi
• Is Distracted Driving Negligence?